Liam Dawson hoping to inspire Hampshire's T20 Blast campaign after World Cup glory

Allrounder Dawson was an unused member of England’s triumphant World Cup squad, which meant he had not played a competitive match since the middle of May before the Vitality Blast

Liam Dawson has admitted that spending two months without playing cricket was frustrating – but insists he would not swap more game time for his World Cup memories.

Allrounder Dawson was an unused member of England’s triumphant World Cup squad, which meant he had not played a competitive match since the middle of May before the Vitality Blast.

Dawson, who has given his winner’s medal to his one-year-old son Ralphie, has returned to action with two economical spells with his left-arm spin against Kent Spitfires and Sussex Sharks.

“It was a little bit frustrating as you want to play especially after the start to the season I had - I was in very good form,” Dawson said.

“When you don’t play and only train you lose that match intensity.

“But being a part of the squad is amazing so if someone said to me at the start of the summer that you are going to be in the World Cup squad, I would take that every day of the week.

“It was special. It was very good to be in the squad. At the start of the summer I didn’t expect it but I worked my way into the squad.

“You can only train and make sure you are ready to play just in case something does happen. You don’t suddenly lose how to bat or bowl overnight.

“I have played a lot of cricket now and am fairly experienced so I know what I need to do to be ready for a game; that is to make sure I am in the right headspace if I’m needed.

“Training is very different from a game and the only way you know if you are in form is by playing games.

“Thankfully I have come back to Hampshire and feel like I am in a good place.

“I have felt really good. I thought I bowled well against Sussex and was disappointed not to pick any wickets up but hopefully as the competition continues I can take more wickets and contribute to the team.”

^{Liam Dawson was an unused member of England's World Cup-winning squad}

Hampshire are yet to win in this season’s Blast, having suffered two defeats and a washout.

James Vince’s side take on Somerset, who beat them in the Royal London One-Day Cup final earlier this season, on Friday evening with a slight worry a replica of last season is forming.

In 2018 the county only managed two wins, their worst return for over a decade, to finish second from bottom in the South Group.

“There is always a worry that if you don’t win the first few games if could go the same way as last season,” Dawson said.

“There is a massive game at Taunton, it isn’t a must-win but we need to play a lot better and put a performance in.

“Somerset are a very good side and it is never easy going to Taunton. We have to remember we have a lot of match-winners in our side as well.”

Dawson is a T20 veteran and enjoyed success over the winter with Comilla Victorians, who won the Bangladesh Premier League, and Pakistan Super League outfit Peshawar Zalmi.

And the 29-year-old is hoping to sprinkle some of his experiences from overseas franchise leagues into the Hampshire dressing room to avert a major slide.

“In T20 cricket if you go into your shell and go into matches low on confidence then you aren’t going to be successful,” he said.

“I have been lucky enough to have played in a few tournaments now and the best players never doubt themselves.

“Once you doubt yourself in T20 cricket then that is where you come unstuck.

“We have 11 games left and every single one of those games is massive and hopefully, we don’t doubt ourselves and take the attack to the opposition.”

Courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network.

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